I spent over a year walking by An Choi and did not bother to give it a chance. Ever. Walked by a million times. Laughed at the thought of paying over $4 even $5 for a banh mi. Scoffed as I would stroll right by on my way to snag a solid banh mi right down the street.
Figured oh they are probably slinging the same garbage Baoguette or Paris Sandwich does. Sorry to say this, because they are all very nice people, but those places offer some pretty repulsive food. I have spit out their sandwiches each and every time. Literally. It’s gross. As an open minded food person this says a lot. I do not judge those who eat it and enjoy. To each their own. However, I do know for a fact: These people are missing out on many far better options all over New York. Those places are the Vietnamese equivalent of Subway or a Dunkin Doughnuts.
Well, it turns out the last laugh was on me. The banh mi at An Choi is the closest in flavor to that of my childhood. I had to doctor it up a bit with a sweet and spicy chili sauce and more jalapenos. There is no char siu on the roasted pork and it needed a bit of sweetness for proper balance. The classic banh mi stand outs from many others around town because of the pate, roasted pork, no overuse of char siu, a perfect balance of flavors, and ratio of meats. Yeah, it could use a bit more pickling of the carrots. Yes, it’s smaller than most banh mi. Don’t care. I have yearned for the banh mi of my youth for too long, I can accept a few minor things.
Eyeballing and smelling the bowls of pho other patrons were digging into… hmmm it was looking pretty on point. Taking the BF this weekend. This place definitely warrants a second and third visit. Looking forward to exploring the menu at length. Really great service and atmosphere too. Both the pork belly and spicy meatball banh mi has my boyfriend’s name written all over it.
The banh mi is served with shrimp chips. It’s a clever touch. I am in love.
An Choi in the LES
85 Orchard Street
New York, N.Y. 10002 [map]
Tel: (212) 226 3700
The Grand Gourmand 